February 10th
by EibonVirgo
Summary: It's the 10th of February, and Silvan is going through yet another day that seems the same as all the rest. Only today, she's more enveloped in the past than usual. None of her friends are around, and she's totally depressed. What exactly happened on February 10th? Oneshot. Companion to Misery Business. YuseiXOC.


**Hey everyone! This is immensely late, since I wanted to post this on ****_February 10th, _****and it's freaking APRIL. I don't think I'll give this too much of an explanation, but enjoy anyway!**

**(Just kidding you get no explanation ;D)**

* * *

The day began just like any other. Only, I kind of dreaded it.

I woke up and rolled off of the couch in the basement of Sector Security, groggy and groping for the ghost light (the ghost light was my name for the singular bulb that provided light for the entirety of the room). It was hot and sticky, and my hair was plastered to my back with sweat.

Gross.

I sighed and shook my hair out, ambling over to the connecting door where Goodwin had stuck in a bathroom when he first hired me.

By the way, the only reason I live here is because Goodwin required me to always be in the sight of Security. He didn't want any Satellites living among city-born citizens. After they'd connected Satellite to New Domino, I'd either been too lazy, too unwilling, or too used to my little living space to find somewhere to live on my own.

I splashed some cold water on my face and stripped down, rotating the shower nozzle counterclockwise.

The warm water ran down my spine and filled the room with a light mist; I ran my fingers through my wet hair in an attempt to de-tangle it. The soapy water was fresh in my nostrils, and I rubbed it vainly along my arms and legs.

I wasn't much of a clean freak, nor did sweating usually bother me, but there were some times when I couldn't bear it for much longer. Like when I woke up an my hair was sticking to me? That was the last straw.

I dried myself off with an old pale blue towel with fraying edges and dressed again into a fresh pair of jeans and my black tube top.

My damp hair fell down my back and I fixed my bangs, letting the two opposite thicker strands fall in front of my shoulders.

After I brushed my teeth, I checked the time.

9:30. I grabbed my gloves and my jacket and headed upstairs, using my personal key to activate the elevator.

Upstairs, Trudge was lounging with a mug of coffee in one hand and a digital inventory in the other.

"Morning, Trudge," I said nonchalantly.

"Hey, Levine," he answered lazily. Since I called him by last name, he did the same to me. "Had a good night?"

"I'm still pressing a window or something down there. It's hot as hell."

"Yes, because windows are customarily used underground."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, you know what I mean."

"Invest in a fan or something," he suggested.

"Sure, as soon as you pay me."

"Okay, smart ass, then report to the 8th floor."

"Yes mother," I retorted, and turned tail back to the elevator.

He called something after me, but I couldn't hear it.

Trudge and I were normally kind of sarcastic to each other, mostly because we were such good friends. Trudge was one of the first people I met in New Domino, and he was kind of an ass when I did meet him. He's still sort of an ass, but he's secretly a good person.

I used my key to go up to the 8th floor, which was designated for technology.

A normal work day consisted of sitting through a meeting and shooting down all of Zigzix's ideas that were never going to work. Occasionally, someone would come up with a good idea and they'd put it into schematics, to which I'd be provided the materials to make it a reality.

I made my way to meeting Room F, where I'd sit and try not to fall asleep most of the time.

The room was mostly empty, save for a couple of researchers formerly of the Arcadia Movement who'd come and joined after Sayer was killed. I wasn't very friendly with them, especially given the fact that they'd been in the room when my brother died.

"Good morning, Silvan," one of the researchers, Okita, commented lightly. He was short and thin with bowl cut navy hair and thin rimmed glasses.

"Hey Okita," I said politely.

He gave me a wispy smile in return, and them opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again like he'd changed his mind.

Gradually, more people began to trickle in and no one sat by me, which was just the way I liked it. Not one of the men in this room was stupid enough to mess with me.

Zigzix sauntered in at around 10:35,

and absently mumbled to himself for about five minutes before beginning the meeting.

"Good morning everyone!" he declared in his raspy tenor.

The rest of the room replied in mumble, probably from tired people who had nothing better to do but be here.

"Get on with it," I called in a bored tone.

Zigzix stared at me hardly through his glasses. "Yes, well, down to business... Today we'll be discussing the excess Ener-D that's been detected. If there was some way or could be contained-"

"Won't work," I interrupted. "Ener-D accumulates too quickly, and the last time it was "contained," it resulted in Zero Reverse."

Zigzix stared at me for a long while, then coughed and began again. "Well, with it as a possible energy source-"

"Ener-D is released in duels. Almost every citizen in the city duels, which means there's already an excess of Ener-D. There's never been a problem with the levels, but it could get to a point where it's dangerous with unknown means. Just trying to harness it could have different results." I retained a monotonous tone as I spoke.

"Well, if you're so smart, why don't you come up with an idea?!"

"How about you come up with a machine that makes you the opposite of an idiot, and I'll build it on the spot?" I retorted.

A couple chuckles rose up out of the watching researchers.

"Are we done here?" I sighed. "I'm finished wasting my time for today."

Zigzix glared at me for a while, then burst into a fit of highly psychotic laughter. Then his expression went straight.

I probably couldn't live with myself if I was bi-polar. So many mood swings... I'm happy just being paranoid.

"Well, bye then," I said. "Call me when I can not sit in a stuffy room for three hours."

I got up and sauntered out of the awkward silence; this is how it usually was. I'd get bored with nothing worth listening to about three or four minutes into the meeting, and then I'd leave. Nobody would stop me, which was nice too.

Zigzix had me on speed dial too, so if they did come up with something close to do-able, they'd call me.

I realized that he'd called something after me, but I been too occupied with my own thoughts to hear.

I decided to go out looking for a duel, or maybe even some trouble. I was bored so far, and I usually tried to mix it up depending on how the morning had begun.

My duel runner was parked in the underground lot, amongst the rest of the Security cars and runners.

I pulled out and sped off into the downtown area, zooming past the shops and restaurants that were too snobbish for my taste.

Hey, I'm a Satellite kid. "Rich" is _not_ in my vocabulary.

Maybe I could go and see Yusei. He seemed to always have time for me.

I took a sharp left and made my way towards the suburban area of New Domino; it wasn't long until the roads reduced to dirt.

The Poppo Time Clock Tower was the center of outer New Domino City, and the people there lived a lot like members of a close knit town. Everyone knew everyone, a lot like a big extended family.

Yusei, Jack, and Crow all lived down in the basement of the Clock Tower, which was a lot less of a basement and more like a bunker. The upper perimeter of the space was paneled with windows that let natural light in, and the entire space was split into three floors.

So, yeah. Less of a basement.

I pulled up and around the tower, and the guys' landlord Zora poked her head out of the front door of the tower, where she herself lived.

Zora was an aging lady, maybe in her late sixties, early seventies, with graying hair pulled tightly back and brown eyes framed in gold rimmed glasses.

She reminded me a little of Martha, only that Martha was more gentle in her scoldings and Zora had quite the sharp tongue.

"Oh!" Zora called to me. "Good morning, Silvan!"

"Morning, Zora!" I replied with a friendly smile. Another thing about Zora: she was very old-fashioned in a different way than most. She was very value-oriented, and kind of a manners nut.

She didn't like Crow for that reason, and fawned endlessly over Yusei because Martha had raised him into "an honorable young man." Or at least that's how Zora told it.

When I first met Zora, she snapped at me for entering without knocking, and then totally changed directions on me when I told her I knew Yusei. After that, I got a lesson on how to act around her, and she currently likes me almost as much as she likes Yusei.

"How are you this fine morning?"

"I'm doing well," I replied pleasantly, removing my helmet. "And yourself?"

"The day has been quiet so far... Those boys haven't caused any trouble so far."

"Speaking of which," I asked, playing with a fraying end of my bangs, "are they in today?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Zora replied, her wrinkled face twisting into thoughtfulness. "I believe Yusei left somewhere early this morning, and I'm not sure if he's come back yet."

"Oh," I sighed. "Well, thanks anyway, Zora. I'll come by later to see if Yusei is around."

"I apologize, Silvan. Have a good day anyway!"

"You too, Zora!" I slid my helmet back on and revved my engine, speeding off to find something else to do.

Zora called something after me, but I couldn't hear it over the roar of the engine.

So Yusei wasn't home? Bummer.

I headed back out into the main highway, towards DAIMON. Maybe I could hang out with Raven or something.

DAIMON was the slum area of New Domino, just under the main highway of downtown. It was full of underground duelists, mechanics, and people trying to get by on illegal affairs. There were also some card shops and pawn shops that gave loans on the necessities.

A lot like Satellite, which was why Raven roomed here with her friend Blister.

I banged on the door of Blister's place, because I knew he wouldn't hear me otherwise.

Mannerisms here were a lot different from Poppo Time.

Blister opened up after a couple of minutes. "Hey, Silvan, what's up?"

"Hey Blister," I said. "Is Raven around?"

"Uh, nope. Left pretty early this morning, not sure what it was about."

"Oh," I said. I think I sounded pretty disappointed.

"Come back later," Blister suggested. "She probably won't be too much longer."

"Oh well," I said. "Thanks anyway."

Blister nodded in response and I left after that, just beginning to ride around in search of something to occupy me.

He poked his head out of a window and called after me, but I was too far away to hear.

It was a while before I decided to head up to the Tops and seek out Kage. He was normally around and would probably want to duel me, which was always a good time.

The Tops was the nicest area of New Domino City, where all the rich people lived. Supposedly, my parents and Yusei's parents lived there before they died in Zero Reverse. I think they were even neighbors.

Kage's mom and dad were normally in America, dealing with their businesses. Kage's mom was a major fashion designer in France and in The United States, and his father ran a computer processing business out of North America. Normally, he had the house to himself and rarely ever saw his parents.

Of course, if you're a rich kid with nothing to do, you'll eventually grow up wanting someone to spend your time with. Kage's a little of a playboy... Which explains a lot.

When I pulled up to the guard gate, I reached out to hand him my dueling license, and he waved me off.

I came here often, and there were usually two guards that switched out their posts. One of them was nicer to me than the other, and luckily he was on the job today.

I drove up the long hill to the apartments, and drove along the main strip of buildings. The biggest one belonged to Leo and Luna, whose parents were also rarely home.

Kage lived on the drive closest to the north edge, overlooking the ocean. I pulled up and around his driveway, and I sighed; his duel runner wasn't in the driveway, which wasn't a good sign. There was a sheet of paper stuck to his front door that I couldn't read from far away, but it probably said that he wasn't home.

I swung around again and sped off. Why were none of my friends home? And today, of all times.

I guess it's a good thing, since nobody is bothering me about it, but I still feel in need of something to do, someone to hang out with.

I took the main highway over towards Daedalus Bridge, along the cape. It was getting later in the day, and the sun was beginning to sink below the waves of the sound that separated New Domino City from the Satellite.

From here, I could see the B.A.D. Area, even Martha's little house.

I wonder, if Evan were still alive, what we'd be doing right now...?

We might've been hanging around doing nothing, probably laughing about pointless things and following that old tradition of eating something sweet today.

I had abandoned that a while ago though, much to the dismay of my friends. But they didn't bother me about it because they knew I wouldn't like it. That was probably why they seemed to be avoiding me today.

Whatever. As soon as the day was over, everything would go back to the way it was.

My cell phone buzzed a couple times in my pocket, and I picked it up out of my pocket and flipped it open.

Yes, my cell phone flips open. I do not have a smart phone like the rest of the world. On my awesomely meager government salary, it's all I can afford.

I had seven missed calls? Four texts. I didn't even feel it buzz.

The calls were split between Raven, Crow, Jack, and Kage. Two from Raven, two from Jack, one from Kage, and two from Crow.

I had one text from each; Raven's read, "_Where r u?_" Crow's said, "_Answer your phone!_" Jack's just had a displeased emoticon that looked a lot like, "-_-". Kage's read exactly the same as Raven's, just with better grammar. "_Where are you?!_"

I had one voicemail from Yusei. Weird, since he rarely used his phone.

_"Hey, sorry I wasn't in today, I had a lot of stuff going on."_ The sound of his voice really was nice after an entire day of silence. _"Anyway, I'm back home if you want to stop by and talk or something. Zora said you came by looking for me..."_ he trailed off awkwardly, presumably because he ran out of things to say. _"Well, I guess I'll see you."_

Then the tone went dead and the moderator's recording asked me if I wanted to archive the message.

I hung up and staggered to my feet, running a hand loosely through my bangs and glancing at the darkening horizon before hopping on my duel runner and heading back to Poppo Time.

Whatever they were all freaking out and calling me about had sure as hell better be important... Otherwise, I'd probably walk out like I had this morning on Zigzix and his team of cronies. I couldn't help it. I was just feeling moody and irritable today.

When I came around in front of the clock tower, the sun had long since disappeared from the sky. If I looked directly up, I could see Orion's Belt.

I knocked before opening the door to the guys' place, and strangely, the lights were all off. It was totally pitch black.

"Hello?" I called, poking my head through the threshold. "Yusei? Are you guys home?"

Then there was a sound like someone tripped and fell.

"Ow," a voice whispered.

"What the heck?" I asked loudly, and flipped on the main lights.

I think it was Crow who fell down, because he was laying across the ground with his headband over his eyes, orange spikes in a disheveled mess. But that wasn't what caught my attention.

The whole room was decorated with sky blue and silver streamers, which were my favorite colors. Jack was sitting at a table decorated with snacks and a cake, and Raven and Kage were sprawled on the couch, sharing a bowl of tortilla chips.

"What the...?" I said. "What are you doing?"

Yusei came in from upstairs and tossed a small box on the table. "Hey, Silvan. Happy birthday!"

I stood and stared for a second.

Yusei glanced around. "Today _is_ February 10th, isn't it...? I wasn't too early, was I?"

I groaned and turned around to leave.

"Hey, wait!" Yusei called after me. "Where are you going?"

"You know I hate my birthday, Yusei," I grumbled.

"That doesn't mean we aren't going to celebrate it," he retorted. "Even if you don't exactly know about it half the time." he gave me an innocent look, sapphire eyes wide, and my heart dropped.

Damn him.

"Come on, we all spent our day setting it up. Be nice."

I huffed. "You can make me go down there, but you can't make me like it."

He smiled lightly and I ambled down the stairs, where my friends started crowding around me.

"Crow, what did you slip on?" I asked.

He blushed slightly and tousled his hair. "Uh. I just fell."

"Charming."

"Soooo, are you going to open your present?" Raven pressed, violet eyes shining with enthusiasm.

"No," I huffed. "I'm not accepting any presents."

"Come on, please be nice. It's from all of us," Yusei interjected, winding his arms around my waist.

"Go away," I grumbled. "I'm mad at you."

"Well, don't take it out on our gift," he retorted. "I already burned the receipt, so there's no returning it."

"Fine," I mumbled. "Gimme the damn box..."

Yusei wore a triumphant smirk as he handed the small package to me. I frowned as I tugged at the elaborate bow; Yusei probably wrapped it. He's always been good with his hands.** (A/N: Did that sound dirty to you...? =.=)**

I tugged the silver paper off, not bothering to be gentle (but I did save the bow), and opened the white lid of the cardboard box.

It was a bracelet, thin and made of a sturdy, scalloped silver. There were five charms hanging from it: a painted black bird in flight, a tiny gold crown, a small vertical rectangle painted brown to look like a duel card, a little violet shoe, and a silver wrench.

I got it instantly. Crow contributed the bird since he sort of had a thing for them, Jack gave the crown because he was king, the card was for Kage's love for duels, the shoe was because of Raven's shoe fetish, and Yusei's was the wrench because he liked to fix things.

It was very simple, but very creative and something that I could appreciate because it wasn't extravagant or lavish.

"Wow," I breathed. "This is awesome, you guys."

"You like it?" Raven said, smiling ear to ear.

"It's beautiful," I assured her. "Thank you so much."

"For what it's worth," Yusei said, resting his chin on the top of my head (I hated that since it reminded me how short I was), "we made the charms. I bought the bracelet itself."

"_Yusei_ made the charms," Jack corrected. "We just put in formal requests of what we wanted to be represented by."

"Well, thanks for that, _Your Highness_."

I took the bracelet out of the box and unlocked the clasp, wrapping one end around my left wrist. Yusei took the other end of the clasp from me and hooked it to the opposite side, adjusting the band so that each of the little charms hung down.

"So, am I forgiven?" Yusei asked absently, folding his hands around my waist.

"Grow a few inches shorter, and I'll consider it."

His chest rumbled against my shoulders as he laughed, and he shifted back a little so his nose touched the crown of my head. "You're funny when you're irritated."

"Is the party over? Cuz if it's not, I'm about to be _hilarious_."

"Oh, come on!" Crow protested. "We haven't even eaten the cake yet!"

"Fine," I sighed.

Kage jumped off of the sofa and hurdled the table covered in chips and soda; let me just say that it was quite impressive. "Let there be cake!"

Yusei held my shoulders while the rest of my friends scrambled for the cake across the room. "What's up, Silvan? Why are you so bothered today?"

"Um, maybe because you guys left me sad and alone on my least favorite day of the year, then proceeded to remind me why I hated it in the first place?"

"Silvan, what is so bad about your birthday?"

It was a moment before I replied. "Because there should be a seventh person celebrating it with us."

Yusei exhaled loudly, wrapping both arms around my shoulders. "I'm sure wherever he is now, Evan is celebrating too. If he was here right now and saw you like this, he'd probably find a chair, stick it in the corner of the room, and make you sit in it for ten minutes."

My shoulders slumped. My awesome, funny, charismatic, compassionate, dead brother. _Sigh._

"The point is, you can't live in the past. It's called 'the past' for a reason, because it's already passed. And even if Evan was here right now, you may not be. Be grateful for his sacrifice, because he loved you enough to make it. And he knew what he was doing, too." he leaned his spikey hair on the side of my head. "Besides, I happen to like the fact that you were born. If you don't celebrate it, I think I should have the right to."

Stupid Yusei. Always right about every damn thing.

"...I hate that you're right," I grumbled.

"That seems to be a reoccurring problem. And really, Silvan. Since when were you one to be bothered by anything?"

"I dunno," I sighed. "I guess I'm just getting old."

"Yes. Because nineteen is old."

"Oh? And how old are you, like forty?"

"Silly, I'm only three months older than you."

"Maybe I shouldn't be dating such an old man. It's gross."

"Oh, definitely." Yusei let out a smile. It wasn't the kind he showed just to fake some emotion, like if he was teasing me or being sarcastic or trying to hide something. This was genuine, and the first real smile I'd seen him smile since... Well... Back in Satellite, I guess. When we were stupid teenagers with nothing to worry about.

These days, he was stoic and I could rarely see him smile. It made me sad; he had such a beautiful smile. His eyes would light up and sparkle and just completely entrap me...

"Silvan...? Silvan!"

"What?" I asked. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"Hm. Maybe you are getting old."

"Oh, shut up!"

I could feel my face growing red as he laughed warmly, more genuine emotion seeping through the cracks and crevices in his bland façade.

Then his fingers twined into mine and we continued forward to endure my party.

I guess Yusei was right; if Evan hadn't put himself in that doorway so long ago, maybe I wouldn't be here today. I wouldn't be with Yusei or Jack or Crow or Raven or Kage or anyone else I know today. Maybe I would've been different, and I don't want to find out how that would've worked out.

I'm grateful to him, even now. I guess that's what siblings are supposed to do for each other. Watch each other's backs.

I had a sudden epiphany; all the times today I hadn't been listening, when I'd been dwelling on the past like Yusei had told me not to, I'd missed what people were saying to me. What Trudge and Zigzix and Zora and Blister had said after I'd drifted away; Yusei had made up for that.

When I focus too much on the past, I miss the present which in turn affects my future. I couldn't live in it anymore.

Yusei had turned the emotions churning in me, the things that had happened in the past into a real and genuine Happy Birthday from all of them. And I think that was the best gift anyone could give me.

When I approached the cake, even though there were pieces cut out of it, I could still read in frosting the words, "Happy Birthday Evan and Silvan."

And for the first time in a while, I smiled.

_Genuinely._

* * *

**Even though it was long late, I enjoyed writing this. I really enjoy delving into the more thoughtful, emotional side of Silvan since I sometimes would probably forget that she's a girl if I wasn't the author of her story... =.=** **(She can get very difficult sometimes, even for me...)**

**But even so, I always like to write in her point of view. She's very different personality-wise from the rest of my characters.**

**Anyways, thanks for reading! If you haven't read this story's companion, ****_Misery Business_****, I'd like it lots if you checked it out!**

**See ya ;D**

**-Eibon**


End file.
